Printer&#39;s inking-roller.



' ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. OSGOOD, OF PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS.

.PRINTERS lNKlNG-ROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 725,356, dated April 14, 1903.

Application filed October 31, 1901. Serial No. 80,706. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H; Oseoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peabody, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsinPrintersInking-Rollers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertaius to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is, among other things, to improve printing rollers and fit them more perfectly for their work, more especially for the distribution of the ink upon the type or other forms which are to be printed from,and to render thesurface of the roller less liable to be injured or afiected by any agents except such as would destroy the substances of the roller itself.

My invention'consists, as hereinafter set forth, in taking ordinary printing-rollers, the body of which is made of the usualor wellknown materials, and submitting the surface of the rollers to a treatment with what is known as formaldehyde.

I have found the best preparation of formaldehyde for use in my invention to be a ten to twenty per cent. solution of this agent in the strong alcohol of the United States Pharmacopwia-that is, of course, using the alcohol made from grain. Wood-alcohol of the same strength may be substituted for that made from grain; but I find it is not so easy in its application, and therefore I prefer alcohol made from grain. The best method of its application to the rollers I find to be as follows: A dry clean sponge is moistened with the formaldehyde, or preferably with the above-named solution prepared as above indicated, and then it is rubbed lightly and thoroughlyover the whole surface of the roller. The roller is then allowed to stand for a short time-say thirty minutes-when it may be put into the printingpress and used as usual. This treatment of the surface of the roller not only toughens this surface beyond that of the ordinary and usual surface, so that the roller is not so easily torn or broken in its movements over the type or other form that-may be printed from it, but it makes it, in fact, practically a new and better roller than has hitherto been produced. The formaldehyd alters the character of the face or surface 0 the roller by producing with such surface compound with the glue or gelatin ingredi cuts of which the roller is mainly made and such as cannot be obtained by any other known process. I v

The ordinary seasoning of printing-rollers by exposure to the'air does not and cannot produce the surface resulting from my process. I take these ordinary rollers and by treating them with formaldehyde convert the face of the roller toan insoluble compound completely unaffected by any agent that does not destroy the substance of the roller itself. At the same time my treatment does not in any way affect the surface of the roller for the purposes for which it is used-indeed, under many conditions it improves its working qualities. This treatment alsoto some extent increases the tack or suction of the roller,

as it is technically termed-that is, the property of taking up and carrying printers ink readily.

My invention is applicable to printers rollers in-general, and which, as is well known,

are made from glue or gelatin combined with glycerin or with saccharine matter or other material.

My invention, therefore, does not consist in the use of the well-known constituents of printers rollers. It consists in the treatment of such rollers upon their surface with the material and in the method as set forth whereby in addition to their usual qualities the rollers can when thus treated the better distribute the ink upon the type or other forms to be printed from, have a capacity for doing better work, have a tougher surface and greater durability, andwith less liability to become torn or broken.

I claim- 1. The improved method of treating the ordinary inking-rollers, consisting in coating the periphery of the same with formaldehyde whereby the surface of the roller is made I more durable and all Without impairing the elastic or other qualities of the roller.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH H. OSGOOD. Vitnesses:

HENRY O, Oseoon, F. E. EMBREE. 

